A sports management firm whose clients have included Olympic cycling hero Sir Chris Hoy, snooker stars Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry, and a variety of Scottish golfers and footballers, are being liquidated, triggering what is sure to be a long, bitter legal battle for compensation.

An investigation by Inside Sport into the demise of 110 Sport Management (110SM) revealed that several stars are exploring how they can retrieve outstanding payments. But all want anonymity as they pursue claims.

Some are peeved that 110SM's parent company, 110 Sports Group (110SG), are still in business but will not be settling 110SM's debts.

The liquidation also raises questions over the viability of 110SG and another subsidiary, 110 Sport TV, which has received £709,000 in public money to help fund an internet broadcasting service that has struggled to get off the ground.

Lee Doyle, chairman of the 110 group, tells me: 'I couldn't possibly comment because the liquidation won't be formalised for some months. We're restructuring because for us, as for all sectors, the world isn't a nice place to do business just now and we need to be leaner and meaner.' Asked to confirm the identity of stars who are owed cash, Doyle said: 'I couldn't possibly comment.'